Direct to Major Transfer Admissions Pathway
If you began your education at another college or university and wish to transfer to the B.S. major in Physics at UW, you may be eligible for our Direct to Major (DTM) admissions pathway. This pathway allows transfer students to apply to UW and the Physics major during the same admission cycle.
When completing a transfer application to UW, applicants will be prompted to list an intended major. During the Physics admission cycle, students will complete an application for admission to the UW Physics Department.
Admission to the B.S. in Physics is based on the following criteria:
- Applicants should have completed the first two quarters or first semester of a year-long introductory series in both calculus-based physics and calculus, and either be enrolled in or have completed the final quarter or semester for both. If the applicant is enrolled in college in the quarter they are applying to UW, they should be taking at least one math or calculus-based physics course.
- A record of grades and courses as indicated on their unofficial transcript. Transcript should include most recent grades and current course enrollment (if enrolled at time of application). If your transcript only shows completed courses, please also provide a screenshot of your current schedule showing registration into in-progress courses.
- Current graduation plan listing courses needed to graduate with a Physics Degree and when you intend to take them.
- A personal statement that is separate from your submitted UW application. Include any relevant information from your UW application in the Physics major application. Departments do not have access to the information submitted in the UW application.
Our Application Requirements, including the personal statement prompt can be found on our Admissions website. See below for information on making an appointment with Physics Student Services to discuss the major and your graduation plan.
Submitting an application does not guarantee admission to the Physics major.
Once accepted into the Physics major, students must be registered at UW Seattle in their first quarter as a new Physics major, comply with the Continuation Policy and the UW’s Satisfactory Progress Policy to remain in the Physics major.
Timeline for Autumn Entrance to UW/Physics Major:
- December – UW transfer application opens – see transfer application for exact date.
- February – UW transfer application closes – see transfer application for exact date.
- March – Physics major application is opened – see Physics Admissions page for exact date. You will need to have a UWNetID to access the Physics major application. You will receive instructions on how to set up the UWNetID after you have applied to UW.
- April – Application for admission to Physics major is due – see Physics Admissions page for exact date.
- Late April – Physics Department notifies applicants of decision to the major and informs UW Admissions Office of departmental major decisions
- May - June – UW Admissions Office notifies applicants of admission to UW and the Physics Department – see transfer application for exact date.
- Summer – Attend UW Advising & Orientation session and register for Autumn courses which begin in late September.
Timeline for Winter Entrance to UW/Physics Major:
- August – UW transfer application opens – see transfer application for exact date.
- September – UW transfer application closes – see transfer application for exact date.
- September – Physics major application is opened – see Physics Admissions page for exact date. You will need to have a UWNetID to access the Physics major application. You will receive instructions on how to set up the UWNetID after you have applied to UW.
- October – Application for admission to Physics major is due.
- Late October – Physics Department notifies applicants of decision to the major and informs UW Admissions Office of departmental major decisions
- November - December – UW Admissions Office notifies applicants of admission to UW and the Physics Department – see transfer application for exact date.
- November - December – Attend UW Advising & Orientation session and register for Winter courses which begin early January.
Regular (Non-DTM) Transfer Student Admissions
If you are transferring to UW and you do not want to participate in the Direct to Major pathway, you may choose to apply to the Physics major during one of our open application cycles after you have already entered UW. Refer to our Admissions page for details on the application process and admissions requirements. You may apply (or re-apply) to the Physics major after being admitted to UW as a transfer student and completing more physics and math coursework. We typically reserve our winter application for transfer students who are not participating in Direct to Major because winter is usually a transfer student’s second quarter at UW.
Applying to the University of Washington
The University of Washington Admissions website has answers to most questions about application to the University. When you fill out an application to UW you will be asked about your intended major. You should list Physics as your intended major, but keep in mind that you will be applying to the major separately. It is also a good idea to incorporate the topics and ideas you want to study at UW and particularly in the Physics major. The strongest applicants to the UW are those who not only show evidence of previous academic success, but those who have made the case in their personal statement for their interest in specific academic fields of study offered by UW.
Transcripts are evaluated officially by the UW Admissions Office only when a student applies to the UW. If you are transferring from a Washington State community or technical college, you can determine the way your classes transfer to UW by using the UW Admission Office’s Transfer Equivalency Guide.
Information Sessions & Advising
We do not currently host Information Sessions but are eager to meet with any and all prospective Physics major students! Please make an individual appointment with us.
Email us directly if you need an accommodation or time that is not available: physadvs@uw.edu
Appointments may occur over zoom or in-person on weekdays during typical business hours.
Links to informational presentations about the Physics major and potential Physics careers may be found on the Advice for Current and Prospective Students page.
Physics Transfer Student FAQs
What if I don’t get in through the Direct to Major pathway?
If you are not admitted to the Physics major through the direct to major program you will be able to re-apply to Physics through the regular admissions process. You can find more information on our admissions website. We typically reserve winter quarter admissions for transfer students who are not participating in direct to major.
How many times can I apply to Physics?
You can apply through the direct to major program once. If you are not admitted through this process, you will have an opportunity to apply through the regular admissions process up to two times. Please check our admissions website for the deadlines.
What does “capacity constrained” mean?
Capacity constrained majors have additional requirements and selective screening, which may include an additional application process, such as the materials we ask for in our Physics major application.
Completing the minimum UW admission requirements does not guarantee admission to capacity constrained majors nor does submitting an application to the Physics major guarantee admission.
Most students apply to capacity constrained majors after they are admitted to the UW and complete one quarter at UW.
What are the prerequisites to applying to the Physics major?
You must complete one year of introductory calculus-based physics and one year of calculus for regular admission, or be enrolled in the final quarter of these sequences for early admission, before you can apply to the Physics major. These sequences are both available at community colleges (see equivalency guide), and are offered every quarter at UW.
When is the application deadline?
See Admissions page.
When will applicants be notified of their decision?
Physics major admissions decisions will be communicated via email about 2-3 weeks after the submission deadline to the email address used in the application. If the Physics major offer is not accepted and a Physics track selected within one week of email notification, the offer to join the Physics major will be rescinded and a reapplication is required. No exceptions.
The offer to join the Physics major is contingent upon admission to the UW as a transfer student.
UW Admissions decisions will be sent via email to the email address used in the application. Please see UW Admissions for their notification period dates.
What if I took a prerequisite physics or calculus course and did not achieve the typical grade ranges of ≥2.6 for standard admission and ≥3.2 for early admission?
You should explain how and why you are ready to be a Physics major in your personal statement. Admission is holistic and focuses more on recent achievements than older ones. It may be appropriate for you to build a better record in courses that have the introductory series as prerequisites and then apply to Physics through the regular admission process once you are a UW student. During this process, you are highly encouraged to meet with a Physics advisor about your graduation plan and discuss any success strategies for moving forward if admitted to the Physics major.